Dangerous Game: Politics Driving Obama's Nat'l Security

WASHINGTON -- Critics of President Barack Obama's foreign policy say his top security advisors know more about political campaigning than running the country and are consequently putting the nation at risk.

Some analysts place blame for the president's foreign policy problems at the feet of his National Security Council.

"Under President Obama we have about the most political National Security Council we've ever seen," Regent University Executive Vice President Paul Bonicelli told CBN News.

Bonicelli worked closely with former President George W. Bush's team.

The council, which started under President Harry Truman, is made up of the president, vice president, certain cabinet secretaries, top military brass and intelligence officials, along with the president's national security advisors, chief of staff, and other administration insiders. Its purpose is to advise the commander-in-chief on tough realities and offer loyal opposition on heavy decisions.

But some suggest Obama's council operates in continual campaign mode, more concerned with image than getting it right for the nation.

"There are a number of folks at mid and high levels in President Obama's National Security Council that have a lot of political experience, a lot of campaign experience -- that's what they've spent more of their career doing," Bonicelli said.

Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes began working with Obama as a speechwriter during his first presidential campaign.

Tommy Vietor, who resigned last year as council spokesman, rose quickly through the ranks from his original post as a driver for the campaign press corps.

In a recent appearance on Fox News, Vietor made a significant gaffe in comments about Benghazi.

"Dude, this was like two years ago. We're still talking about the most mundane thing," he said.

Host Bret Baier responded "We're talking about the thing everyone is talking about."

Bonicelli said the Benghazi aftermath is a classic example of a politically driven foreign policy team.

"The primary people who were supposed to be advising the president when something like Benghazi happens are actually writing emails saying blame it on a video. That's pure politics. That has nothing to do with national security," Bonicelli said.

Overall, Americans don't like what they see.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll finds just 41 percent of Americans approve of the president's handling of foreign policy.

Obama's first national security advisor, Gen. James Jones, left after just two years, reportedly finding the politics unbearable.

A Wall Street Journal report focusing on the president's National Security Council said former campaign manager and advisor David Plouffe was called at one point to help in discussing possible military involvement in Syria.

Conversely, according to Bonicelli, the president's closest security advisors neither trust the military nor have close relationships with military personnel.

"Even Democrats agree, there is a bubble around the president that, 'I won, it's my way and people need to get in line with it,'" Bonicelli said.

Over the past six years, the president's foreign policy team has worked hard to define its image abroad as the anti-Bush administration.

They have taken the progressive position that the powerful United States should step back and let other international bodies or countries take the lead...a strategy that's left a vacuum.

"It leads to Vladimir Putin doing what he wants to do. It leads to the Chinese rattling sabers in the South China Sea…I don't expect a change over the next two years," Bonicelli said. "I expect them to continue down this party and we'll probably have a lot more of the bungling."

The president's recent trade of five senior Taliban operatives for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, Bonicelli believes, is the president signaling he intends to release all Gitmo detainees, a move he says would help him make good on a 2008 campaign promise.